6 reasons you should leave Facebook NOW

Unlike Myspace, Bebo and countless other social media platforms, Facebook is behaving like a cockroach and steadfastly refusing to die, nimbly dodging each negative wave of media coverage it generates with its dubious updates and controversial ‘data mining’.

Until recently its users’ privacy settings were automatically set to ‘public’, so many didn’t realise they were broadcasting their passive aggressive memes and cat pictures to the world wide web.

Here are six reasons to leave Facebook – before it’s too late…

1. Facebook is buying up the competition

Facebook is buying the world. Ask them why. (Picture: David W Cerny/Reuters)

Have you noticed that recently Facebook has been buying everything? It bought Instagram and Whatsapp, removing two key competitors and capturing even more user data.

Recently it’s bought drone-designing company Ascenta – presumably in order to get the remaining few billions of people without internet access online and into its clutches.

It looks like Facebook wants to rule the world; do you want it to have access to your data, history and exact location when it eventually does?

2. The microphone feature uproar

Facebook is listening. (Picture: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Facebook recently launched a new feature that was immediately dubbed 1984-esque by privacy warriors across the world.

How does Facebook know you like guinea pigs? You may well ask; it knows because it mines your data – no status update is too innocuous. Then it ‘sells’ it to companies who are then able to target their adverts towards you.

How much info are you giving away about yourself, and who are you giving it to? Would you be happy for a near-stranger to know your deepest thoughts and feelings?

At the very least have a good ‘friends’ purge, but leaving Facebook and focusing on your real friends in real life is probably the best solution – for your social life and your reputation.

5. Facebook reaaaallly doesn’t want you to leave

Facebook wants you to stay – so it makes it hard for you to leave. (Picture: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

If you’ve ever tried to deactivate your account, you’ll probably have been surprised to find out that it gives you the option to ‘reactivate it’ so you can go back to your Facebook page exactly as it was – the updates, the photos, the friends, everything.

Facebook has done everything it can to make itself indispensable – it’s a public diary of your life, a virtual social comfort when you’re lonely, gives you the ability to look up anyone you like, collects all your preferred news outlets in one place, stores upcoming events, and organises and tags your photos.

But you managed just fine before nanny Facebook swaddled you up and you will get used to not having it anymore.

If you really want to leave then cold turkey is your best bet – good luck.

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